What has been the response to the Novaerus air disinfection unit? How is this product being marketed in India?

In the initial stage of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was assumed that the infection mainly spreads through contact and droplets.  There was less awareness about the possibility of airborne transmission of novel coronavirus particles through aerosols (droplet nuclei). Hence there were very few takers for our  Novaerus air disinfection solution initially. However, as it became evident that the main route of transmission of Covid-19 was via air and WHO/CDC  endorsing it in 2021, the risk of airborne infection was readily acknowledged by the stakeholders.  With the firm belief (based on independent studies) that Novaerus Air disinfection devices would be effective in mitigating the spread of  Corona Virus and protecting front-line workers, we installed a few units (free of cost) at prominent Covid hospitals in India. After a few weeks, we received positive feedback from the users about a reduction in bio-burden after using Novaerus devices. Further, we offered free demos and trials through specialised distributors in India. We were able to improve our installation base significantly after that.

Has your product been tested enough and what’s the response from hospitals that have installed the same?

Our products have been independently tested and validated by more than 30 international institutions across the world (including NASA Ames Research Centre, CA). Tests on live SARS-CoV-2 (COVID), tuberculosis, fungus and several other airborne microorganisms have been done and the efficacy to eliminate these pathogens up to 99.99% has been established along with safety studies. These products are certified by CE, ISO13485, IEC60601-2, UL867 and  Defend 1050 as US-FDA cleared medical devices. Several Indian clinics conducted air-sampling bio-burden studies and found a drastic reduction in CFU counts after using these devices. A couple of  Indian users published their positive findings after using Novaerus devices during the annual meeting of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM-2020) and MicroCon-2019. Many users, including Dr. T.P. Lahane (ex-Director of Medical Research and Education, Maharashtra), Dean of St. George Hospital, Mumbai etc. have given positive testimonials.

Has the CDSCO approved this product?

All Novaerus Air Disinfection devices are voluntarily registered with CDSCO (DCGI), India as non-notified Medical Devices and are also registered on GeM portal.

Globally has this product been endorsed?

As mentioned above, these devices have been tested, validated and clinically being used by hundreds of clinics all over the world. Many testimonials and clinical case studies have been conducted in different healthcare settings in different parts of the world, including India.

This is a product that can also be used in office settings as well. Are you marketing this to this segment and what’s the response to it?

Indeed, this product can be used in any indoor settings where air could be contaminated, e.g. crowded spaces with inadequate ventilation where immuno-compromised, vulnerable and asymptomatic individuals are present. Offices and schools are ideal places to have these air-disinfection devices installed. We are creating awareness in this segment. We have a few installations in this segment, but our solution being medical-grade air-disinfection,   have to face tough competition from a plethora of cheap consumer air-purifiers (mostly ionisers), which are nothing beyond  'feel-good' gadgets.